1. Field of the Subject Disclosure
The present subject disclosure relates to authentication. More specifically, the present subject disclosure relates to using a magnetometer for authentication based upon an electromagnetic signature.
2. Background of the Subject Disclosure
Communication devices, such as cellular telephones, have become a common tool of everyday life. Cellular telephones are no longer simply used to place telephone calls. With the number of features available rapidly increasing, cellular telephones, often in the form of a smartphone, are now used for storing addresses, keeping a calendar, reading e-mails, drafting documents, etc. In many instances, these features require a secure environment. Thus, with this wide range of features comes an even greater need for security. For instance, e-mails or documents may be private or privileged and need to be safeguarded from unauthorized users. An unauthorized user picking up or stealing the communication device should not be able to access this private information. In many instances, the operation of the communication device should be limited to certain areas.
As more enterprises turn towards smartphones, the ability to lock or otherwise limit phones is a necessity. Currently, smartphones may be password protected through the keypad. However, users of smartphones find password locks on smartphones annoying and inconvenient. The user sets up a password consisting of a series of keystrokes which must be re-entered to later access the cellular phone. These passwords can generally be any number of characters which the user will remember. Ideally, the password is challenging enough that an unauthorized user cannot simply guess the password and gain access. A problem with using simply a keypad for password entry is the ability of others to determine the password without the user's knowledge. Someone may be able to see the user enter the password and easily be able to repeat it. Additionally, these passwords are inconvenient, as users must look directly at the keypad and press a sequence of buttons. The keys are often small with hard to read numbers or letters, and lockouts may require frequent use of the passwords. Thus, users often choose to disable such features. More of these users may choose to utilize the security mechanisms if such mechanisms were easier and more convenient.
In addition to smartphones, many other devices or systems may also benefit from using authentication. Secure facilities, safes, automobiles, networks and many others may all benefit from ensuring that only the correct user has access. Unfortunately, many forms of authentication are currently too easy to fake.
Today, devices used to capture gestures may utilize accelerometers or may capture an infrared or visual representation of the gestures. These devices can generally detect a motion being made by a user. However, these methods of capture cannot detect a particular user making them and may be copied by an unauthorized user.
What is needed is a way to authenticate a device or user using the electromagnetic spectrum. Such authentication should ensure that access is only granted to a correct user or when in a correct location.